War ravages the galaxy! The might of the empire has been challenged by a rag tag team of rebels. This rebellion has made its first bold move stealing plans from a imperial station in Scariff that talk about a top secret weapon the empire is developing. This bold move has caught the empire attention and imperial troops are being mobilized all across the galaxy to try and squash this rebellion before it fully forms.

The empire has many branches in its military. From the imperial navy to the ground forces that dominate the battlefield. Then there are the covert branches, the special operatives that work around the clock to maintain the levels of fear and respect the empire is known for.

Inferno Squad is one of those facets. Composed of the best of the best Inferno Squad is the empire’s best and most covert squad. Operating under the command of Moff Versio Inferno Squad uses assassination and hit and run tactics to keep their opponents guessing and confused.

Inferno latest target is Moff Coovern.

And they are coming for him

………………………………………………..
Snap

Hiss

The brilliant emerald blade sprang to life in front of him. The light was so intense he was temporarily blinded. He compensated making sure to hold it out in front of him as he waited for the spots to clear. His hand tightened around the cyndrical tube his thumb against the activation switch in case he needed to turn it off.

The young man’s vision returned and he swung the light saber in his hand. A slight grimace crossed his fully lips as he tried to get a feel for the sword. There was no real heft to speak of nor was there any weight on the blade itself. His bright green eyes flickered over to the weapon rack on the wall and the assortment of vibro swords that hung there. Each of them felt like an extension of himself when he wielded them. He could pick up anyone and use it without a moments hesitation.

This was not as easy.

Still he was determined to master the blade like the others on the wall. Would he ever use it? Probably not given that it was the weapon of the Empire’s most hated enemy the Jedi. It was more of the thrill of the challenge for him one more weapon for him to master. There wasn’t a single physical weapon that he couldn’t use.

Except for this one.

He began to dance around the room trying to get a feel for the weapon. The smell of burnt ozone began to fill the small training room as he fought imaginary enemies. Sweat began to trickle down his sculpted body tracing the curves of his peck and his six packs as he continued to work out. Soon he became lost in the weapon his surroundings slipping away as he kept moving.

“Agent Cerys!”

He heard the bark of a voice behind him and swore he stopped mid swing hitting the deactivation switch and extinguishing the brilliant green blade. He turned regarding the man who came in and the imperial officer uniform he was wearing.

“Agent Husk” Bren Cerys said going over to the rag and water bottle he brought into the room.

‘I haven’t seen you gussied up in sometime” Bren remarked wetting the rag and using it to wipe the sweat off of his muscular body.

“What the hell were you doing Bren?!” Husk asked moving in and pointing at the weapon in his hand “You cant have that!”

“Oh relax” Bren said shaking his head “I won’t tell if you won’t! Besides don’t I need to be proficient in all weaponry? What if we ran into one of those nasty Jedi?”

“Then we shot them” Husk growled crossing his arms “You know its considered treason…. I could report you!”

“Report me?” Bren challenged putting the lightsaber back on the weapon rack “Who would deal with you then?”

Husk starred at him for several seconds before laughing. Bren followed suit coming over to the man and clamping a hand on his bicep as they both shared a hearty laugh.

“Alright alright” Husk said shaking his head and moving back to the door “Don’t let me catch you using that thing again though! Come on commander has the mission briefing for us ready”

“Following after you” Bren said glancing at the lighsaber one more time. He shook his head and turned following after Husk as they moved out of the training area and into the main deck of the Corvus.

“So is that why your all dressed up?” Bren asked skirting past some imperial technicians as they walked through the corridor of the ship.

“Yeah” Husk said nodding “The Moff wants this execution to be loud so we are hitting him at one of his parties”

“I see” Bren said grimacing “So that means I am on waiter duty?”

“Such is the joy of being one of the new guys” Husk said laughing and slapping Bren muscular shoulders “you just better hope the commander minds you attending briefing half naked!”

“No time farm boy!” Husk said jerking his thumb at the briefing room “Commander is waiting for us. I am not keeping her waiting just so your ass can cover up”

“Fine” Bren said sighing and moving to the double doors.

“Let’s get this over with then”

The door swooshed open and it was all it took for Bren to continue moving forward. The sweat on his chest was still glistening giving his body a dewey look as he moved to take his place. The aroma of him having worked out and his own male testeron was pungent enough for him to smell it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Husk holding back a smile and laugh and glared at him in response. He didn’t dare look at the commander to worried about her infamous death glare and what it would convey to tempt fate

Shey took her seat. She was dressed in her black Imperial naval uniform, red blood stripes climbing up the outside of her trouser's pant legs and down the sleeves of her uniform's tunic. She sat primly in her chair spine erect and her posture impeccably perfect. In contrast Ariza Mournash, the team's heavy weapons expert leaned back lounging in the chair next to her propping her bare feet (She'd taken her boots off upon arriving inside the conference room) on the holo table. She spun her uniform's cap around her finger smiling at them all as if in on a private joke about everyone in the room. Tyrel Kanter, the team's Comm specialist as usual sat to himself apart from everyone. Kanter rarely ever spoke and that was only for the fulfilment of the mission otherwise one would be hardpressed to remember that he was there among them. It was ironic that their radio expert was the one member of the team that never spoke, but he was extremely competent so Shey never minded the man's antisocialness.

The doors slid open to admit Croian Husk followed by Bren Cerys. A completely unclothed Bren Cerys.

Ariza chortled loudly beside her, "Looking good, Noob." She patted the empty chair beside, "Sit that sexy ass right over here and let Mama have a real good look at you. In fact let's you and me have a rather intensive calisthenics session later tonight."

"Fraternization between team members is prohibited by the regulations," She reprimanded Ariza.

"Aww, but Commander," Ariza jokingly protested, "We was just going to do some calisthenics."

"Agent Cerys," Shey asked turning to face the naked man authoritatively, "Are you aware going to mission debriefings while not in your uniform is prohibited by the regulations also?"

She shook her head but catching a good look at him as he tried to maintain some dignity to sit in a chair and covering himself. Why did her team's newest problem child have to be so handsome?

The holoprojector chimed and everyone quieted as the image of Moff Gonradd Aram appeared.

"Inferno Squad," He said as the image of another man in an Imperial Moff's uniform, "This is Moff Alber Coovern governor of the Ord Sestiss system in the Mid-rim. This man is also a traitor to his Emperor. He has cheated the Empire on tax revenues keeping the credits to lavish his own home. This level of graft will not be tolerated in our Emperor's glorious Empire. What's more he has allowed rebel sympathies to flourish under his watch. You are to eliminate him publicly at his annual Empire day soiree within his palace as a demonstration for any other official wo would dare think they can cheat the Empire."

"You have your orders, Commander, fulfill them as you see best," Moff Aram announced, "Ignite the Inferno."

--------------------------X

Ord Sestiss

Ord Sestiss was once a green and lush world with a prosperous and bustling economy now it was a dark dirty pollution-shrouded ruin. Imperial factories producing tie fighters and speeder bikes at a break-neck rate. The native populace was generally quiet though extremely poor, which was by far preferable to Imperial command. What was not preferable was the strong rebellious rumblings being detected by Imperial informants among the native Sestissians, and also the fact that Moff Coovern was creatively misreporting up to 70% of the annual tax revenues.

Moff Coovern's manse sprawled several kilometers but here in his personal residence in the central tower. Below the Empire day parade marched past the manse in AT-ATs and hovertanks. Over head squadrons of Tie fighters streaked past as fireworks lit up the sky. Within the residence the socialites of Ord Sestiss' upper class milled about mingling with eachother. Moff Coovern was in the VIP area entertaining only a select few and cordoned off by plain-clothed but obvious security troopers.

Shey was dressed in a very sheardress designed to catch everyone's eyes, and it was working too. She had to politely and demurely dismiss several would-be interested parties. She knew how she looked and she also knew from her rigorous training in the Crucible program how to use how she looked as a tool to accomplish her mission.

Taking a glass Alderannian champagne from the tray from Agent Cerys disguised as a waiter and smiling to him before demurely batting her eyes towards the throne-like chair Moff Coovern was sitting in. He saw her, she'd been positioning herself non-suspiciously so he'd notice her and invite her up to him. So far he hadn't taken the bait.

"We may need to improvise, Cerys," She murmured low so only he'd be able to hear it, "Proposition me with something provocative loud enough to get everyone's attention."

When he said it she acted mortified then her hand flashed slapping him hard across his face. "How dare you," She declared with perfect tone of an offended woman, "I will have you thrown into one of the work-camps for this...I...I have never..."

"Excuse me madam," Moff Coovern's majordomo, "My apologies for this unfortunate incident." She gestured for two of the plain-clothed security men, "Escort this dreg out of the mansion, please."

She smiled to Shey, "Please accept the Moff's most profound apologies for your ordeal."

"Oh I am most grateful," She said hand fluttering over her heart which also brought attention to the amount of cleavage her dress was displaying.

"Please. If you'd follow me Moff Coovern would like to personally convey his condolences to you," The majordomo said ushering her to the VIP area. Score! Now she could get in to use the microinjector hidden by a flap of synthflesh adhering to her palm.

The poison would take a few minutes but it would be quite demonstratively graphic in its terribleness and utterly incurable. The Empire's justice would be delivered.

Only as she came up to him the security troopers grabbed her arms and held her firmly as Moff Coovern smirked drawing a blaster on her, "I'm afraid, Captain Argent, that you and your little team have walked into my trap."

The doors to the ballroom opened and in marched a dozen security droids bearing heavy repeating blasters. He looked over his supporters and cronies and waved a goodbye telling the droids, "kill them all."

__________________

“Every person's life is theirs by right. An individual's life can and must belong only to himself,
not to any society or community, or he is then but a slave."
~Terry Goodkind: Faith of the Fallen~

The minute the commanders back was turned he openly glared at the senior imperial agent. He knew the commander would have an issue with him being undressed and threw him under the buss anyways! He would say it was a friendly practical joke of course but sometimes Bren wondered….

The imperial academy was a cut-throat place. A place where you didn’t make friends so much as formed alliances. It was a far cry from the small farming planet he came from. Small town living was a foreign concept in the galaxy but still very much alive in his town. Everyone knew each other and worked together. It was a place a painter and an imperial pilot could fall in love at.

There weren’t a lot of places like that left in the galaxy.

He had hoped getting to his ship and command would be different. After all if people worked and fought together there had to be some friendship involved right? However he found that the crew of the Corvus could be just as backstabbing as his fellow imperial cadets! The strange thing was how people like Husk thought it was a good thing! “Promoted comradery” was his exact words!

He scoffed and shook his head turning his attention back to the briefing. He couldn’t look the commander straight in the eye not when he was still bristling from having been called out on his state of undress. The commander wasn’t the type you wanted to piss off. She was as deadly as she was beautiful the kind you absolutely wanted to be on you best behavior towards.

Still… He liked to thing there was more to her. In the short time he was stationed on the Corvus (six weeks) he only talked to her in official settings. She didn’t seem to do anything except her imperial duties.

Yet he found himself interested all the same.

She gave them their latest target and then broke everyone up for mission prep. Bren caught her eye and hurriedly went to go dress before submitting herself to her disciplinary action.
……………………………………………………..
Ord Sestiss

“Always the waiter”

“Oh enjoy it agent” Husk said speaking over their private COM link as he watched Bren navigate the throw of imperial citizens “its not everyday you get to go to fancy parties”

“I didn’t get to go” Bren grumbled making another round before discarding the tray “Instead I get to watch you guys have fun”

“this isn’t FUN agent” Husk reminded him even as he took another drink and tipped it his way.

“Sure it isn’t” Bren grumbled shaking his head. He was about to say something more before the commander herself caught his attention.

She was motioning for him to bring her a drink. He did so immediately grabbing another tray and trying not to eye fuck her as he moved towards her. The dress she was wearing was simply put a knockout. Designed to catch and draw in a man and bring her closer to the target. He was surprised to see her know her own body so well. To be able to wield it like a fine weapon.

They weren’t so different in that respect.

He let her take the wine and nodded at her command. He turned to her a leer on his face as he starred right down at her cleavage.

“Hey baby” He purred his voice husky “How’d you like to drink champagne off of each other’s body after this shin dig?”

The slap he received back was enough to send him reeling. The power behind it caused him to suck a bit of air in between his teeth. He could already feel the mark on his face and the sting didn’t go away as the guards came up and grabbed him. He kept his head down at the exchange playing the part of the weak man to bide time and to further facilitate the ploy. It seemed to be working and he was dragged off the two guards keeping a tight hold on him. He let them drag him off waiting until they were tucked away in one of the corridors to finally make his move.

Bren went from meek to action in a matter of seconds. He flexed his powerful muscles pushing them off and sending them but stumbling as he jumped to his feet. He moved forward grasping the one on the left and slamming him directly into the wall of the corridor. He crumpled to the ground his head flopping back like a rag doll as Bren quickly turned to the other one. He lashed out with his foot a vicious round house that caught the guard in his chin and sent his head snapping back with a rough CRACK.

“Advise” Bren said grasping them and pulling them into a shadowy alcove.

“I don’t have eyes on the commander” Husk whispered back his tone urgent “but there are a bunch of troopers moving towards the Moff’s private room!”

“Get the exit prepped then” Bren said moving back out and ripping off his service jacket “I’ll go get her”

Underneath was a simple plasteel armor that left his arms free. It was more like a vest than wrap around armor but it facilized the maximum amount of movement. For a man like him that was the most important thing.

He raced towards the VIP room falling in behind the guards. He waited until they reached the walkway leading to the security doors to make his move. He pounced on them his body a flurry of punches and kicks as he snapped their legs and pushed them off of the walkway and down onto the grounds of the compound below. It took him a matter of minutes to clear the walkway and reach the door. Instead of barging in he peaked inside cursing when he saw the droids.

“Where is our exit?” Bren asked reaching down to one of the guards and pulling their vibroblade.

“Coming in hot!” Husk shouted as the sound of roaring wind echoed through the COM “Two minutes”

“all the time in the world” Bren murmured eyeing the droids one more time. He took a deep breath and pushed through hefting the blade in his hands and moving in. Time seemed to slow down as he stormed the room his blade flicking out and cleaving the nearest droids head from its body. He kept moving before the others could react stabbing cutting and jabbing into each of them as fast as he possibly could. Most of the droids were dead before they could turn around and those that did manage to put up a fight gave him some fresh blaster burns as he earned the kill.

“Don’t you move!” The Moff shouted aiming his blaster at the commander “If you attack me I will kill her!”

Bren hesitated glancing at her. He knew what she would want and that would be for him to finish the mission. She was that type the one who would sacrifice her own life in a second if it meant fulfilling her duty.

But Bren wasn’t like that.

So he moved jumping forward and taking the blaster bolt meant for the commander. It hit the armor he was wearing taking the brunt of it and knocking the wind out of his body. He crashed into her just as he heard the windows shatter and the sound of Husk behind them.

The doors to the ballroom opened and in marched a dozen security droids bearing heavy repeating blasters. He looked over his supporters and cronies and waved a goodbye telling the droids, "kill them all."

The droids whistled an affirmative before opening fire on the crowd of partygoers. They screamed and began to rush for cover as the twelve droids mowed them down.

She arched an eyebrow to the moff, "Seems excessively wasteful."

Coovern smiled evilly, "I no longer need sycophants."

"You should surrender," she told him, "You won't survive long as a fugitive to Imperial justice."

He got up and grabbed hold of her chin and peering into her eyes, "I am going to have you shot and send your corpse back to Aram in a block of Carbonite. During the whole of our 'friendly' sabacc game he could only boast of his prized agents of the crucible. I only wish I could see his smug face when he sees his prized agent's dead body."

Then there was a crash and Agent Bren rushed inside. One droid's head crashed to the floor as he took them all from behind the vibroblade a sweeping blur in his hands.

Impressively the droids hit him in the shoulder and thigh but in such close quarters they only managed grazing burned wounds. The body armor he had worn underneath had mollified some of the damage but he'd require bacta patches once the adrenaline ran out.

Coovern pointed the blaster at her face shouting to him, "Don't you move. If you attack me I will kill her."

"Do as he says, Agent," Shay announced to Bren, "Lambda, Aurek seven."

But instead of moving he rushed them knocking her over and taking the blaster bolt meant for her. Husk and their exfil rushed up in an Imperial gunship blasting the window.

"Don't you follow orders," She growled at him in annoyance shoving him off of her.

She swore as Coovern escaped through a back door.

The door opened as more security droids rushed in exchanging fire with Husk in the gunship.

She hauled Bren up, "Time to make our way out. Your bungling has compromised this mission, Agent."

She grabbed a blaster from one of the dead gaurds and shot two of the droids ducking behind the cover of the VIP area's railings. "Why didn't you obey orders and distract him?"

__________________

“Every person's life is theirs by right. An individual's life can and must belong only to himself,
not to any society or community, or he is then but a slave."
~Terry Goodkind: Faith of the Fallen~

He heard the annoyance and anger in her voice and rolled his eyes.
“It was a tactical choice Commander” Bren said watching as she exchanged blaster fire with the sudden surge of robots flooding into the room.

“Any shot even if you had survived would have compromised our ability to lead further missions and do the good work of the emperor” He retorted exchanging his vibro sword for a hold out blaster he kept for an emergency. He popped out of cover downing two of the robots with precision headshots before turning back to her.

“Plus I like you” Bren said a teasing smile flitting over his lips “You’re beautiful smart and capable. The Moff can be reobtained at any point you however are irreplaceable.”

Bren noticed the speeder waiting for them and grabbed the commander.

“Come on before we lose our ride” He growled to her tugging her along as he covered her. The smell of burnt ozone and superheated plasma filled the air as he covered their quick army run to the waiting speeder. He let her on first pausing to shoot down a few more droids before hopping in himself.

“Let’s get out of her Agent Husk” Bren shouted slapping the manual close for the speeder and settling into the gunner seat. He activated the targeting computer and with one quick swivel of the turret left a strafing run of superheated plasma across the deck.

“Leaving now!” Husk yelled out and Bren felt the pitch of acceleration and gravity as the speeder swung away from the Balcony. The afterburners kicked on and they rocketed away shooting out into the busy city and towards the rendezvous point.

……………………………………………..
“We were set up”

He knew his words were dangerous but he said them anyways. Gone was the waiter uniform replaced by the molded black jumpsuit of inferno squad. He kept his helmet at his side the mirrored optics pointing down as he faced the rest of his squad.

“Some one tipped him off surely” Husk said waving his hand dismissively “But the only person who knows of our missions is the moff and he wouldn’t-“

“Bullshit he wouldn’t” Bren said causing Husk to bristle “That’s exactly what the slimy little shit would do”

“You can’t speak about him that way!” Husk hissed leaning in “You have no idea who could be listening Bren! There are ears everywhere!”

“So what?” Bren challenged scoffing and shaking his head “Is the big bad moff going to kill me in my sleep? I know he did it! I can feel it in my gut!”

She grabbed a blaster from one of the dead gaurds and shot two of the droids ducking behind the cover of the VIP area's railings. "Why didn't you obey orders and distract him?"

“It was a tactical choice Commander,” He protested as she laid covering fire onto the new group of security droids that stepped through the doors. Terrific! they were replaying the Clone Wars without a battalion of Clonetroopers to back them up...or even some Jedi knights-war-mongering traitors that they turned out to be...those would be nice right now.

"A choice that was unnecessary," She shot back, "I was in complete control of the situation if you had just played along I-"

She ducked back down as several droids laid fire back at her.

“Any shot even if you had survived would have compromised our ability to lead further missions and do the good work of the emperor” He retorted exchanging his vibro sword for a hold out blaster he kept for an emergency. He popped out of cover downing two of the robots with precision headshots before turning back to her.

"That was my concern, Agent," She told him popping back up from cover and shooting two shots into one of the droids one right in the primary motivator circuit in the torso causing it to freeze up for a crucial few seconds before rerouting to its secondary unit. It left a clean shot for its head dead center in its function processor section of the droid's brain, "Your sole concern should've been the completion of this mission."

There was no end to these droids. They were getting closer to overwhelming them with their sheer weight of numbers.

“Plus I like you” Bren said a teasing smile flitting over his lips “You’re beautiful smart and capable. The Moff can be reobtained at any point you however are irreplaceable.”

"Will you get serious," She sneered to him checking how much charge was left in her blasterpack, "We are all expendable for the sake of completing our mission."

Though she did feel something when he said that he liked her, and that he appreciated her looks and intelligence. She was taught rigorously that personal relations were solely for recreation purposes in the Crucible program....perhaps after this mission she'd go to Brenn's bunk for some recreation as long as he understood it wouldn't mean anything beyond the bunkroom.

However that would be in case they were going to get out of their current situation.

“Come on before we lose our ride,” He shot up blasting at the droids. Shey right behind him. They had to get to that speeder before their position was overrun. They raced firing blindly behind them for the windows and Agent Husk's commandeered gunship. Ariza manning the heavy blaster firing cover for their mad dash.

They landed on the deck and Husk pulled them away from the horde of security droids firing back at them.

Shey got back up to her feet as Brenn and Husk were arguing over whether Moff Aram had betrayed them to Coovern. She walked over to agent Cerys by the shoulder turning around so her fist could slam into his face. He was their best hand to hand fighter, and had excellent reflexes turning so most of the impact of her punch rolled off his cheek but still staggered backwards from the surprise of it.

She looked at him acidly, "You endanger the completion of this mission one more time, Agent Cerys and it will be a bolt from my blaster heading for your head."

"That there was a leak of this operation is obvious," She said reaching behind her to undo the seam at the back of her dress, "But it could have as easily come from our logistics support as the Moff. Do not endanger the cohesion of this unit with wild unsupported speculation again."

She pulled the sheer dress off leaving her in only the panties she wore underneath. Shey pulled a coverall jumpsuit from the pack of gear they brought for the mission and began stepping into it.

Then there came the familiar whine of twin ion engines as three ties came up behind them.

"Poodoo," Ariza swore swiveling the heavy blaster to open up on them just to keep them from picking the slow gunship off from behind. They swerved around her fire easily.

"Agent Husk, Contingency plan Auresh 4." Shey called to the man piloting this thing. She also grabbed a jetpack from one of the other bags and threw it into Brenn's arms. "You know what you have to do..."

She pulled another jetpack for herself out too, "Let's be about it."

__________________

“Every person's life is theirs by right. An individual's life can and must belong only to himself,
not to any society or community, or he is then but a slave."
~Terry Goodkind: Faith of the Fallen~

There were Tie fighters on their tail and he had an angry commander in the cock pit. Bren cheek continued to throb as the commander stripped in front of him. His eyes couldn't help but flicker up and down her body for a second taking it in even though she had just landed a solid punch on him.

He didn't know why he was so attracted to her. It wasn't like she was warm approachable or even someone he could see himself having a relationship with! OF course that could have been part of it.

After all Bren was known for choosing the hard path.

A jet pack was thrust into the his hands a bulky thing with a square body and two stubby engines sticking out. With a scowl he pulled it on cinching the straps together and tightening them.

"You do realize I am a close quarters combatant right?"He asked her raising an eyebrow "Do you want me to sword fight a bunch of enemy speeders?"

He didn't bother to wait for an answer instead going over to the weapons rack. With a scowl he pulled a blaster riffle with a scope from the armaments and went over to the drop doors.

"So commander" Bren said as she came over. His hand moved to the door typing in the access door and priming it to open.

"What's the plan here?" He asked her raising an eyebrow "Are we to go dance? Distract them with fights of fancy? Or beset them like angry hornets?"

"Agent Husk, Contingency plan Auresh 4." Shey called to the man piloting this thing. She also grabbed a jetpack from one of the other bags and threw it into Brenn's arms. "You know what you have to do..."

She pulled another jetpack for herself out too, "Let's be about it."

He scowled pulling the jetpack on over his back, "You do realize I am a close quarters combatant right?"

Agent husk lowered the gunship so it flew just meters over the streets below giving the pursuing ties little room to maneuver. Beneath the loyal Imperial citizens gathered to celebrate ducked for cover as the gunship and ties streaked close over their heads kicking up a screaming wind that blew dresses up and hats off of heads.

"Do you want me to sword fight a bunch of enemy speeders," He continued with an arched eyebrow.

Shey shook her head, "Didn't you read over the contingency plans Agent Cerys? Auresh 4 was in case we were being chased as we exfiltrated after Coovern's death."

"So Commander," Bren said pulling out a blaster rifle and striding over to the exterior door to the speeder, "What's the plan here? Are we to go dance? Distract them with fights of fancy? Or beset them link angry hornets?"

Shey shook her head strapping on her own jetpack as Ariza began activating the charges in the bags. "Agent Husk, set it to auto-pilot and get your jetpack on."

The Ties pulled up above the buildings, still following but unable fire upon them in such close quarters.

She threw Ariza a heavy blaster before pulling a carbine for herself. To Cerrys she stated with a tone of annoyance. "Next time read all the mission materials, Agent. Prepare to jump just before the speeder blows. We'll rendezvous at the Alpha point with Agent Kanter to discuss how to succeed in this mission."

She strode over to the side of Agent Ceryss handing him a vibro-knife for later. She'd stick to him. Shey had just about had it with his screw ups on this mission.

"On my mark. 5-4-3-2-1-" They jumped a split second before the speeder exploded. The explosion veiling their escape as they raced off to the concealing shadows of a nearby alley. She set down on the pavement before a waste container beside Bren.

She looked to him unbuckling the jet pack and throwing it inside the container, "Coovern we'll be locking everything down by rounding all of these civilians up. We can't allow ourselves to be among them...You're the close quarters combat specialist...go acquire us some stormtrooper armor."

__________________

“Every person's life is theirs by right. An individual's life can and must belong only to himself,
not to any society or community, or he is then but a slave."
~Terry Goodkind: Faith of the Fallen~

Everything she said to him was either condescending or cutitng. He was making mistakes left and right and seemed to be failing from the minute he saved her. He knew there were aches and pains when it came to moving into a new command.

Especially with a woman in command like her.

"Aye commander" Bren said ducking his head so she couldn't see the indignation on his face. He moved into the crowd his hands sliding into his pocket as his training kicked in. He was just another face in the crowd moving with the sea as he kept a careful eye out for any stormtroopers. Eventually a squad came into view and Bren followed them until they moved into a small FOB. With some pleasure he noted the FOB contained a imperial troop speeder as well.

"Maybe this will get me back in her good graces" Bren said even though he doubted it. He moved towards the FOB and boldly walked right up to the door. He rapped on the metal and then moved back tensing his body up and waiting. After a few seconds the door slid open revealing a storm trooper whose helmet was off.

"Who are-"

Bren jumped springing into action before the man could complete his sentence. A savage kick sent the man spinning directly into the wall. He hit it hard and crumpled as if he was nothing more than a droid switched into the off position. The others were still reacting their helmets off as well as they scrambled from their positions on the couch and chairs. He could see the cards on the table representing their sabaac game and idly wondered who was set to win.

"What the?!" The commander said blinking in surprise "Take him down!"

He was moving again a deadly blade in the middle of chaos. He grabbed a chair from the FOB and with out a second of hesitation cracked it across the commanders skull. He was down as well and Bren threw the charge at the one reaching for his blaster in an attempt to bide time. Bren launched himself over the table using gravity to add power to his punch as he landed on a female stormtrooper with a panicked look on her face. There was a crunch as he broke her nose and then she was out as well.

Bren heard the whirl of a blaster powering up and grabbed a glass bottle. He blindly chucked it relying on his instinct and aim to score a hit. He was rewarded for his faith with a strangled cry behind him and a wide line of blaster bolts that missed him and tore into the FOB.

"Amateurs" Bren murmured rising up and advancing on the lone trooper left. The man backed up his fumbling nervous fingers trying to cool and clear his weapon.

"Allow me" Bren said taking the gun. His fingers expertly released the overheat and dropped another cooling cell into the blaster. Bren checked it to make sure it was working and then flipped it over in his hand and whipped it into the mans head. Bren took in the FOB one more time before dropping the gun. He went to work stripping the stormtroopers and tying them up. He got dressed first then loaded the other equipment into the speeder. It took him a mere thirty minutes when it was all said and done.

"Well time to get back to the ice queen" Bren said as he clambered into the speeder. He hit the ignition and after familiarizing himself with the control took off back to the rest of inferno squad.

She looked to him unbuckling the jet pack and throwing it inside the container, "Coovern we'll be locking everything down by rounding all of these civilians up. We can't allow ourselves to be among them...You're the close quarters combat specialist...go acquire us some stormtrooper armor."

"Aye commander" Bren said ducking his head so she couldn't see the indignation on his face.

Shey frowned as she watched him leave. Perhaps she had been too harsh on him. She was not normally a self-reflective person, but as she waited for Agent Cerys to complete his task she considered how she'd make it up to him. Team cohesion and morale required them to be a smoothly efficient machine. Their missions serving the Emperor's will. She may have adversely affected that with her criticism of Bren's performance so far.

In the crucible she had been taught interpersonal relations were to be avoided. Team members were either rivals to her success in the harsh exams of the tough training program or tools to be used, manipulated, and discarded for the sake of completing the mission.

Being appointed this team's leader after graduating the Crucible program had required her to shift her mode of thinking. She had to learn to work with others and to care for their feelings-again for the efficiency of the team in completing their mission for serving the Emperor's will.

She spent the next several minutes trying to come up with some gesture to increase Agent Cerys' flagging morale. She was not exactly the most competent at being nice or supportive, so it was not something that came easy to her now.

Shey sighed in defeat as Agent Cerys returned with a speeder and two sets of stormtrooper armor.

"Good initiative on acquiring the speeder as well," She told him climbing into the back and familiarly putting on the pieces of armor, "Head out to the market area of the city. If we're stopped we'll tell anyone we're patrolling for anyone breaking the emergency curfew."

__________________

“Every person's life is theirs by right. An individual's life can and must belong only to himself,
not to any society or community, or he is then but a slave."
~Terry Goodkind: Faith of the Fallen~

The young imperial agent pressed the speeder as hard as he could. The streets were becoming choked with people. Bren noticed several flags up promoting a fair of some kind and softly swore. This was going to make things harder especially for extraction.

"I'm on my way back" He said speaking into the COM. He heard nothing but silence back and figured they were laying low. he reached the alley way a few minutes later sliding the speeder to a stop as the sounds of the parade began to start.

"We have a parade going on" Bren explained as the agents began to file in. He was about to say more when his commander Shey spoke and gave him of all things a compliment.

His eyes moved back over to her taking her in. What was up with her? Did she feel bad about what happened between them earlier? If so the compliment made Bren feel slightly better.

"Thank you commander" Bren said pulling the speeder out and moving back down the street.

"Not everyone must have gotten the message about the emergency curfew" Agent Husk said turning his head as he put his own armor on "Good should make things easier for us to cover our escape"

"As long as no one gets caught in the cross fire" Bren said as he moved down the street and towards the market. Sure enough the bulk of the imperial agents deployed were handling the now much harder task of trying to find the rogue agents within the larger crowd of parade goers. They paid the imperial speeder no mind and the trip to the market was free of any action.

"Where do I park now commander?" Bren asked as they moved into the empty market.